In a message dated 8/16/2005 12:32:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
The major question is: Who are the lace consultants??? I have been styling myself as a lace consultant ever since the museum checked the box consultant on my volunteer forms. Oddly enough, a fair number of people do call the Metropolitan Museum looking for information about lace. But only rarely do the questions fall within the area of ones easily answered. As I recall, there was a question from a wedding publication about the history of machine made tulle. There have been several consultations in which people try to get a ball park idea about the value of their lace so that they can try to figure out whether it is cost effective to conserve it, also one questioner who wondered if he was morally bound to give it give a particular piece to a museum. Then there are the endless questions about how to have lace mended and cleaned to which I have yet to find an answer that doesn't result in a "are you out of your mind?" response. From time to time, someone comes in expressing the desire to learn everything there is to know about lace in about an hour so as to be able to get good deals from ignorant dealers (who have been studying lace with the avidity that comes from risking money on your assessments for years.) Several people want the names and addresses of people willing to make handmade lace for a price not greater than machine made lace. Frequently people tell me they love lace and would like to start a lace related business and make it their primary source of income. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no ideas to offer about how to do this. (It would be diabolical, I suppose to suggest they become lace consultants.) There was a consultation in which the point was to prove that a lace flower was so basic that it was in the public domain and not protected by copyright. I have even become lace consultant to an off-Broadway production in which I helped set up a pillow and showed the actress how to simulate lacemaking. I am convinced that in a city the size of New York which plays host to the Fashion Industry a free lace consultant could probably keep herself busy every day, especially one that made house calls. Unfortunately, there is no one who would offer anything other than a hearty thank you for these services. I find that I prefer to answer questions that are short and fact based or that result in free theatre tickets. :-) Devon lace consultant to Broadway and off-Broadway - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
